An Exposition, With Practical
Observations, of
THE
EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS
Some
think that this epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter sent to several
churches, and that the copy directed to the Ephesians happened to be taken into
the canon, and so it came to bear that particular inscription. And they have
been induced the rather to think this because it is the only one of all Paul’s
epistles that has nothing in it peculiarly adapted to the state or case of that
particular church; but it has much of common concernment to all Christians, and
especially to all who, having been Gentiles in times past, were converted to
Christianity. But then it may be observed, on the other hand, that the epistle
is expressly inscribed (1:1) to the saints which are at Ephesus; and in
the close of it he tells them that he had sent Tychicus unto them, whom, in 2
Tim. 4:12, he says he had sent to Ephesus. It is an epistle that bears date out
of a prison: and some have observed that what this apostle wrote when he was a
prisoner had the greatest relish and savour in it of the things of God. When his
tribulations did abound, his consolations and experiences did much more abound,
whence we may observe that the afflictive exercises of God’s people, and
particularly of his ministers, often tend to the advantage of others as well as
to their own. The apostle’s design is to settle and establish the Ephesians in
the truth, and further to acquaint them with the mystery of the gospel, in
order to it. In the former part he represents the great privilege of the
Ephesians, who, having been in time past idolatrous heathens, were now
converted to Christianity and received into covenant with God, which he
illustrates from a view of their deplorable state before their conversion, ch.
1-3. In the latter part (which we have in the 4th, 5th, and 6th chapters) he
instructs them in the principal duties of religion, both personal and relative,
and exhorts and quickens them to the faithful discharge of them. Zanchy
observes that we have here an epitome of the whole Christian doctrine, and of
almost all the chief heads of divinity.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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